Tag Archives | Kid Finders Network

Desperately Seeking Heather Riggio

Heather Riggio Missing from North Miami Beach, FL

Thankfully, a few media outlets picked up Heather’s story. The Miami Herald wrote a good article about it on today’s paper. The writer, David Ovalle, included very helpful information about the Kid Finders Network. As he writes:

“The billboard is being provided to North Miami Beach police by the Kid Finders Ntework, a West Palm Beach-based volunteer organization run by Sherri and Dennis Milstead. Kid Finders, which relies on donations, provides mobile billboards aimed at finding missing young people. The price of Riggio’s mobile billboard — the printing of the banner and trailer upkeep — is about $3,000, footed so far by the Milsteads. ”We work off donations and we’re still trying to get sponsors,” Sherri Milstead said.“We’re hanging by a shoestring.”

Here’s another article and video about Heather on CBS4. And another one on WSVN including video, as well. You can find more information about Heather Riggio’s case by doing a Google search. There’s over 26,000 pages of search results.

This from Heather’s sister’s Myspace page http://www.myspace.com/heathersmissing “We want as many people as possible to see her picture and know her story…But we need help…we need people to donate gas money and driving time to keep the billboard running…PLEASE contact Sherry @ 561-333-2779 if you can do anything..anything at all helps..thanks a lot, Lisa”. As you can see that Heather’s family is torn up and suffering dearly for the return of their precious “Kitty”.  See more picture of Heather here. If you have any information, anything at all, please contact North Miami Beach Police at 305-949-5500.

Kid Finders Network and North Miami Beach Police join forces to spotlight missing person Heather Riggio

This morning I attended a Press Conference held by the North Miami Beach Police and Kid Finders Network for missing person, Heather “Kitty” Riggio. I was invited by Sherri Milstead, the Executive Director of Kid Finders Network. She learned about Lilly’s case and contacted me earlier in the week.

Kid Finders Network is a nonprofit organization which provides mobile billboards to families, organizations and Law Agencies in search of Missing Children and Missing Persons.  They have a mobile billboard (pictured above) with Heather’s information and picture on it. It will stay at the police station in North Miami Beach until Monday. After that it will go to the area where Heather was last seen at in Homestead. It will cruise the area, increasing the odds of someone calling with an important tip. The drivers are trained in taking tips, too. You can see my entire set of pictures of the press conference and the mobile billboard by clicking the link under the picture.

Lilly’s mom and I could not contain our tears as we watched the press conference taking place. You can’t help but feel overwhelmed with compassion for families experiencing the same suffering.  It was heartbreaking. But at the same time, I saw the dedication and all the effort put forth by the detectives from North Miami Beach Police Department. What a blessing for Heather’s family. I’ve been following her case and from the start, these detectives have done such a great job. I admire and commend them for their commitment and efforts to find Heather. They were able to get her story featured on America’s Most Wanted.

Here is the official press release from the North Miami Beach Police Department. They have it posted on their website:

Topic: Kid Finders Network to Assist in Missing
Persons Case Utilizing Innovative Mobile
Billboard

Date & Time: Friday, July 11th at 11:00 AM at NMBPD,
16901 NE 19 Av.

Narrative: Kid Finders Network will be assisting us with a missing person case where a young female, Heather Riggio, went missing on May 6, 2007 and the public’s help is paramount to helping us find her or find out what happened to her as foul play may be involved. Kid Finders Network is providing an innovative way to assist law enforcement with the recovery of missing persons by providing a mobile billboard that will feature vital information such as photographs of the victim, the areas she frequented, etc. which will be deployed in the area Heather was last seen.

Kid Finders will be at the North Miami Beach Police Department on Friday, July 11th at 11:00 AM with the billboard provided for this case. Representatives from Kid Finders Network as well as NMB Chief Rafael P. Hernandez, Jr. and Lead Case Detective Rich Rand will be present to speak about the case and unveil the highly effective and innovative billboard that will profile this case.

For more information regarding this press release please call Detective Rich Rand at 305-218-1234 or Sergeant Warren Hardison.

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